


Late Nights and Reluctant Feelings

by torigates



Category: Chuck (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-04
Updated: 2013-11-04
Packaged: 2017-12-31 11:58:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1031474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torigates/pseuds/torigates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She had always known that Chuck could only be kept safely in his home for a limited amount of time, but it was a completely different thing to be confronted with that reality.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Late Nights and Reluctant Feelings

 

 

It was late and Sarah couldn’t sleep. The words of that Fulcrum agent continued to haunt her, and as much as she tried, she couldn’t get them out of her head. She didn’t regret her decision to kill him, she would do whatever it took to protect Chuck’s identity, but she couldn’t stop worrying. She had always known that Chuck could only be kept safely in his home for a limited amount of time, but it was a completely different thing to be confronted with that reality.

It was true that Sarah had feelings for Chuck. It was equally true that she knew she could never act on them. Not ever. Her feelings had proven to be a danger to Chuck in the past, and protecting him was more important than anything else. Besides, Chuck had made it clear that a relationship between them could never work.

She arrived at the Castle, figuring if she couldn’t sleep, then she might as well get some work done. She hadn’t expected to find Casey there already working.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

Casey looked surprised to see her. “I could ask you the same thing,” he said.

Sarah resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was so like Casey to avoid her question. They had been partners now for over a year, and still he didn’t trust her. “I couldn’t sleep,” she admitted.

Casey’s face didn’t change. As usual, he wasn’t willing to reveal anything about himself. Sarah descended fully into the Castle as Casey turned back to his work. “Me either,” he said quietly.

Sarah didn’t allow her shock to register on her face. “What are you working on?” she asked instead.

Casey briefly glanced up, and then turned back to the screen he was studying. “Nothing really,” he said. “Looking over old surveillance footage of the Buy More. It shouldn’t have been so easy for those Fulcrum agents to get that close to Bartowski.”

Sarah felt surprised for the third time that night. “You’re worried about Chuck.” It wasn’t a question.

Casey stopped what he was doing and looked at her. “What?” he asked. “No, I’m not. It’s my job to protect that little moron, so that’s what I’m doing.”

Sarah knew better than to disagree with him. “How’s your foot?” she asked.

Casey looked angry, and here finally was something she recognized. “Fine,” he mumbled.

“Maybe you should be taking it easy,” she suggested.

“I said I’m fine.”

Sarah didn’t reply, and Casey turned back to his work. Sarah walked up to him and peered over his shoulder. He turned and glared at her.

“Can I help you?”

“Just tell me what you need me to do,” Sarah said.

“I’ve got this under control,” Casey told her, his voice clipped.

“Come on, Casey.”

“I said I’ve got it.”

Sarah was suddenly angry. “This is so like you,” she shot at him.

She could see him tense up, and slowly turn towards her. “What?” he asked.

“You think you can do everything by yourself.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked.

“What do you think it means? You always want to do things alone. We’re supposed to be partners, Casey. Why don’t you let me in?”

Sarah could see Casey was struggling to keep his cool, but she didn’t care. If they were going to work together and _really_ be partners, then he needed to trust her.

“That’s why,” was all he said.

“What?”

He gestured towards her. “You get too emotionally involved in things,” he grunted.

“And by ‘things’ you mean Chuck, is that it?”

He looked back at is work. “And what if it is? You’ve already proven that your feelings towards him, which you’ve admitted to having, are a liability. If we’re supposed to be _partners_ , then maybe you should start acting like it, and have my back.”

Sarah didn’t say anything.

“What?” he asked. “Are your feelings hurt?”

“No.” She glared at him. “You’re right,” she finally admitted.

“Damn straight, I’m right.”

“But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”

He made a face. “What? Of course it does.”

“I don’t think so, Casey. You have just as many feelings as I do, you just hide it better.”

He snorted.

“And your so-called lack of feelings have proven to be just as much a liability,” she finished.

“What are you talking about, Walker?”

“Why do you think the General kept the truth about Bennett from you? She knew you’d react in the exact way that you did.”

Casey didn’t reply. They were both silent for a several moments.

“At least I’m not going all moon-eyed over our asset,” he said.

Sarah rolled her eyes.

He looked at her, his face serious. “I’m not kidding about that, Walker. You’ve got to get yourself under control.”

“I know,” she said, equally serious. “It’s not going to be a problem anymore.”

“Good,” Casey said. “Cause I need my partner.”

Sarah smiled.

“What?” he asked.

“You just called me your partner,” she pointed out.

“No, I didn’t!”

“Yes, you did,” she paused. “And you admitted that you need help.”

“Did not!” He said, outraged.

Sarah didn’t reply. Casey huffed and turned back to the video.

“We can’t keep him here forever, can we?” she asked.

“No,” Casey admitted.

“He can’t handle being locked up.” Theoretically, Sarah knew that all of the country’s secrets were more important than Chuck’s mental health. Still, it was hard to stay focused on that whenever Chuck was looking at her with scared eyes.

“Do you think I enjoy being here at one in the morning, Walker?” Casey said, irritated.

Sarah gave Casey a confused look, until comprehension dawned on her. Casey was at the Castle in the middle of the night for the same reason she was. Neither of them wanted Chuck in government protection.

“John Casey,” she said surprised. “You care about our asset.” She smiled.

He looked at her sharply. “You take that back,” he said seriously.

She grinned even wider. “I will not. You have just as many feelings for Chuck as I do.”

Casey looked angry. “Don’t even get met started on that idiot. I’m here because my country has given me a task, and I always achieve my goals.”

Sarah didn’t protest.

“Stop smiling,” Casey said.

She didn’t.

“Are you going to help me or not?” He asked irritated.

“Yeah,” she said. “What do you need me to do?”

They were both up most of the night tightening security, making sure Chuck would be safe.

Sarah still spent a lot of time worrying about Chuck. She lost a lot of sleep thinking about what would happen to him if Fulcrum ever discovered his identity and she or Casey weren’t there to protect him. She knew it was wrong to have such intense feelings for Chuck, but as much as she tried to control them, she couldn’t help it.

It was nice to know she had a partner who had the same fears and worries, who lost just as much sleep, and who cared as much about their asset as she did (even if he would never admit it). It was nice to know she had a partner she could count on.


End file.
